Regulator valve apparatus for locomotives and like engines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. A. BOYES Filed April 7, 1934 July 9, 1935.

- REGULATOR VALVE APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND LIKE ENGINES INVENTOR FREDEg/CK A. BOYES.

z I, r V. w ATTORNEY YA If 1- F. A; BOYES July 9, 1935.

REGULATOR VALVE APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND LIKE ENGINES 2 Sheets5heet 2 INVENTOR F/egoae/ck 4. Boyzzs. BY

Filed April '7, 1954 ATTORNEY may happen at times that to obtain the approvalv s Without d ant n t ri n hrou h Patented July 9, 1935 I A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" REGULATOR VALVE APPARATUS FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND LIKE ENGINES Frederick Arthur Boyes, Wembley, England, as-

slgnor to American Throttle Company, Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application April '7, 1934, Serial No. 719,467 a In Great Britain April 11, 1933 5 Claims. (01. 137-144) This invention relates to regulator valve appavalve which will be maintained or increased durratus for locomotivesand like engines of the kind ing the running of the engine, thereby eliminating in which admission of steam to, and the shutting the liability of scoring of any of the valves or seats off of steam from, the engine valve chests is efdue to the passage of high velocity steam between 5; fected by a plurality of valves of the lift or poppet closely adjacent valve and valve seat surfaces.

type, a pilot valve being provided by the opening A further object of the invention is to provide of which such lift valves are placed in approxia simple form of regulatorvalve apparatus havmate balance as to steam pressures acting on ing lift valves for shutting off the steam to the them before they are opened. engine and slide valves for quantitative regulation 10.: Whilst more particularly intended for use on of the steam during running in which the lift a locomotive equipped with steam superheaters, valves shall be efiiciently balanced without the and to be disposed between the superheater and employment of balancing pistons, the valve appathe engine valve chests, the regulator apparatus ratus being shell that it m y be d W high according to this invention is not restricted to steam pr ssur Without rendering t d fi cu t to 151 such use or disposition. operate.

, In regulator valve apparatus of the kind above A alve app u heeoldlng to this invention referred to as heretofore constructed the lift and employing a p a y O lift V s for hutvalves are opened in series as required to increase ti g Off steam item he engine may be s0 1 the steam supply to the engine and in practice it structed as to render it possible to grind in such priate port opening for flow of steam for the dewhich the valves are actuated.

sired running condition of the locomotive one of The construction d arrangements according the valves will be only very slightly opened or to the present invention are such that existing cracked. In such a position of a valve there is multiple Valve regulator u s and the Valves.

25. aliability of the valve andvalve seat being scored themselves y be a ered so as to constitute due to the passage of high velocity steam between a v apparatus according to t p s t nthe'closely adjacent joint surfaces of these parts. t n a p e and ineXpensiVe m er. Fur- Also when a locomotive is running the pulsation the! the Valve apparatus according to the presof the column of steam flowing to the engine valve ent invention is such that the p ot V v may 3.0.; chests, due to the repeated opening and out 01f of be used to pply steam to the engine valve the distributing valves is liable to set up fluttering chests While the engine is driftingof the lift valves, and should one of such valves be R la v v app u a rd n to the only very lightly opened it may h tt or h invention has other advantages over existing er o it t, multiple valve regulators, amongst the advan- The advantages of lift or poppet v l as tages being that there is less risk when a valve 35 gards the function f h ttin off Steam from th has been lifted to a small extent from its seat engine are ll known d as regards regulating of vortex action occurring which would render the quantity of steam supplied to the engine durincreased force necessary to effect a larger opening running the advantages of slide valves also s O the ValVe- Another advantage of the 0011- are k I struction according to the present invention is 40 It is the, general object of the present invention a eXeessiVe back. r e on the valves due to provide an improved regulator valve apparatus to the release of high compression in e ne which shall combine the advantages of lift valves Cylinders Will be damned down, 0 itsefiect on for shutting off'steam and of slide valves for the the Valve reduced, a further advantage b ng 451 quantitative regulation of the steam and which that, compared With ng u ple valve at the same time shall be such that the disadregulators, t r d at or d v ry chamber vantages above referred to will be eliminated. 0f the Valve housing ay b more shallow and It is another object of the present invention to also h there is less ab y of Water of conprovide a regulator valve apparatus of the ty e densation collecting in the balancing chamber.

; comprising a plurality of relatively small lift Further the constructionmay be such that there valves for shutting off steam to the engine in will be a very small and gradually increasing which before steam for propulsion purposes can p nin f Steam to h n he rr n be supplied to the engine all of the lift valves will ment being such that should insufficient steam be lifted a considerable distance from their seats be supplied by a drifting valve a small quantity Q5; so,,that a, large port opening obtains at each lift may be supplied by the register valve apparatus without setting up scoring of the valves and seats as is liable to happen where a lift valve is only open very slightly or cracked.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in regulator valve apparatus for locomotive or like engines of the kind comprising a chambered valve housing, a. plurality of relatively small main valves of the lift or poppet type for shutting off steam from the engine and disposed in said housing, a pilot valve adapted when opened to supply steam for placing the said lift valves in approximate balance as to steam pressures acting on them, and means for actuating the valves to open them in predetermined order, wherein there is operatively secured to each main lift valve a slide valve for effecting quantitative regulation of steam supplied to the engine. the main lift valves operating only as stop valves, and the several valves and the means for actuating them being such that all the main lift valves will be lifted from their seats to a considerable extent before any one of the slide valves reaches a position in which it will uncover ports leading to the engine valve chests and permit passage of steam thereto.

The slide valves of the regulator valve apparatus according to this invention are constituted by hollow open-ended cylinders having rigid connection with the main lift valves and work in cylindrical guides or duct-s having ports in their walls which are controlled by the slide valves.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a multiple valve regulator valve apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line XX, Fig. 1, through one of the slide valves and the cylindrical guide or duct in which it works, and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the valves'in their fully operated positions.

Referring to the drawings, the valve housing therein shown comprises three superposed chambers, the upper chamber I being the supply chamber, the lower chamber 2 a balancing chamber, and the intermediate chamber 3 being the delivery chamber to which the pipe or pipes (not shown) leading to the engine valve chests are connected.-

The lift valves 4, 5, 6, I, seat, as usual, in multi-valve regulator apparatus of the type to which the invention relates at apertures in the wall or partition 8 between the supply chamber I and the delivery chamber 3 of the housing, appropriate valve seats being provided at such apertures. The pilot valve, which is also of the lift valve type, seats on a valve seat provided at an aperture in an extension II of the partition 8, and when opened admits steam, as usual, from the supply chamber I to the balancing chamber 2. Preferably, as shown in the drawings, the pilot valve 9 has another valve I I) associated with it, in order that it may be used to supply steam to the engine valve chests while the engine is drifting, a portion I I of the balancing chamber 2 being divided off by a wall I2 to provide a drifting steam chamber to which is connected the drifting steam pipe I3.

In a regulator valve apparatus according to this invention, instead of the lift valves 4, 5, 6, I being equipped with balancing pistons as in the multiple valve regulator apparatus now in use, such valves are balanced by steam admitted directly to the under sides of the valves as is the case with all the valves (with the exception of that first opened) in the multiple valve regulator apparatus shown and described in Reissued Patent No. 16,285, granted to Ray M. Brown. Instead of the valve stems being equipped with balancing pistons, such valve stems carry hollow cylindrical members or sleeves I4, I5, I6, I! and tubular guides or ducts I8 extend from the partition 8 between the supply and delivery chambers of the housing to the partition I3 between the delivery and balancing chambers, the upper ends of these tubular guides or ducts constituting the seats for the lift valves 4 I. The cylindrical sleeves I4 II or sleeve valves, as they may be termed, are shown in the drawings as being carried by radial arms or wings projecting from the spindles of the main lift valves.

Preferably, three equi-distantly spaced arms 20 are provided on each spindle and such arms or wings may have portions cut away intermediate their ends as indicated in dotted lines at 2I, Fig. 1, thus constituting upper and lower sets of arms. As shown at an appropriate distance below their upper edges the arms or wings 20 are rabbeted to form shoulders, against which the upper edges of the sleeve valves I4 I1 abut, the sleeve valves being welded to the arms at their lower edges. Any other convenient manner of securing the sleeve valves to the main valve spindles may be employed, but it will be understood that the construction and arrangement must be such that a free passage obtains between the valve and the valve spindle in each case.

Appropriately positioned in the tubular guides or ducts I8 are ports 22 leading through the walls of the ducts into the delivery chamber of the housing,

In the closed position of the lift valves 4 I, the sleeve valves I4 II close the ports 22, and the sleeve valves are of such a length that a substantial lift must be given to the lift valves before the sleeves begin to uncover the ports 22 leading to the delivery chamber of the valve housing.

The pilot valve 9 and the shut-off and regulating valves4 I and I4 I I are actuated by a rockshaft 23 mounted in suitable bearings and extending along the balancing chamber of the housing, the rockshaft having fingers or cams 24 extending radially from it and adapted to actuate the valves by engaging heads or shoulders on the valve stems in the now well-known manner, and it is not thought necessary to give fur ther description of this actuating means herein, except to point out that the fingers or cams 24 and the arc of movement of the rocksha-ft 23 are such that after the pilot valve 9 has been opened the main shut-off valves 4 I will be raised from their seats to a substantial extent before any one of the sleeve valves uncovers its associated ports 22, and that, after such substantial opening of the lift valves has taken place, continued movement of the rockshaft 23 will cause the sleeve valves I4 II to open their associated ports 22 in the predetermined order. The regulation-of the quantity of steam supplied to the engine will be effected by manipulating the regulator lever to effect appropriate movements of the sleeve valves I4 II.

With the parts constructed as shown in the drawings the initial portion of the movement of the rockshaft 23 will open the pilot valve, and steam will flow past such valve into the chamber I I and past the valve In into the balancing chamber 2, from whence it will flow up through the sleeve valves I4 II to the under sides of the main lift or stop valvesl I, placing the I through the associated ports 22.

' the lift valves.

valves approximately in balance as regards steam pressure acting on their opposite sides. Continued movement'of the rockshaft then raises the lift valves from their seats'in the order determined by the cams 24. As shown, the valve 4 will be the first to be lifted, and this will be followed by the valve 6, the valves and 1 being opened thereafter in the order named. As already pointed out, the valves 4 I will be raised to a substantial extent above their seats before the sleeve valve I 4 will open its associated ports. The sleeve valveswill open in the same order as When a sleeve valve is opened steam from the supply chamber I will flow between the lift valve and its seat, through the sleeve valve, and around its lower edge into and At the same time during the running of the engine the pilot valve 9 will be fully open, anda substantial flow of steam past this valve will obtain, such steam flowing into the balancing chamber, and thence through such ports 22 as may be uncovered by one or more of the slide valves l4 I'I, this steam flowing into the delivery chamber in addition to the steam which flows directly from the supply chamber past the main stop valves 4 l.

Assuming that some only of the sleeve valves to be in position opening ports leading to the delivery chamber it will be understood that the lift valves associated with the remaining one or more of the sleeve valves will be opened and thus steam from the supply chamber can'flow past such lift valve or valves into the balancing chamber and with the steam passing the pilot valve can flow from the balancing chamber into the delivery chamber by way of ports 22 uncovered by such slide valve or valves as is or are open. Thus during the running of the engine there will be a housing and from the balancing chamber and this factor will assist in preventing fluttering or chat tering of the lift Valves, and also reduce the liability of water of condensation accumulating in the balancing chamber. I

In order to obtain a gradual opening of the ports by the sleeve valves the lower edges of such ports'may be inclined to the horizontal plane in which the seats for the lift valves 4 I lie. Conveniently the lower edges of the ports 22 are inclined downwardly to their centres as clearly shown in Fig. 3 and in connection with the sleeve valve l5 in Fig. 1. 7

Variations in some of the constructional details described herein may bemade without departing from the invention. For example, the sleeve valves might be formed integrally with the stems of the lift valves, if desired, or a sleeve valve might be carried by arms from a central tubular member adaptedto, be slidinto position on the lift valve stem, in which case the heads engaged by the cams 24 on the rockshaft 23 would be separately formed from the stem and appropriately secured thereto, the upper head serving to hold the sleeve valve in its appropriate relation to the lift valve.

What I claim is:-

'1. Regulator valve apparatus for locomotive or like engines of the kind comprising a chambered valve housing, a plurality of relatively small main valves of the lift type for shutting off steam from the engine and disposed in said housing, a pilot valve adapted when opened to supply steam for placing the said lift valves in approximate balance as to steam pressures acting on them, and means for actuating the valves to open them in predetermined order, wherein there is operatively secured to each main lift valve a slide valve for effecting quantitative regulation of steam supplied to the engine, the main lift valves operating only as stop valves, and the several valves and the means for actuating them being such that all the main lift valves will be lifted from their seats to a considerable extent before any one of the slide valves reaches a position in which it will uncover ports leading to the engine valve chests and permit passage of steam thereto.

-2. In regulator valve apparatus the combination of a housing having a steam supply chamber constantly open to a source of steam, a balancing chamber, and a delivery chamber interposed between the supply and balancing chambers and connected to the engine valve chests, a

plurality of cylindrical ducts connecting said supto said slide valves and adapted to engage said seats, the slide valves being hollow open-ended cylinders. affording free'pa'ssage for steam from the balancing chamber to act on the lift valves and place them approximately in balance before they are opened and, when the lift valves are opened sufficiently, affording free passage for steam from the supply chamber to the ports controlled by the slide valves, the several valves and the means for actuating them being such that all the main lift valves will be lifted from their seats to a considerable extent before any one of the slide valves reaches a position in which it will uncover ports leading to the delivery chamber.

3. Regulator valve apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the slide valves are formed separately from the main lift valves and are connectbers to the partition between the balancing and delivery chambers, each said sleeve being at one end formed to provide the seat for the associated lift valve, and the sleeves being fitted in aligned apertures in the partitions.

FREDERICK ARTHUR BOYES. 

